1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method of configuring and updating connection identifier (CID) information in a broadband wireless access (BWA) communication system, and in particular, to a method of configuring and updating a CID on a service-flow-by-service-flow basis between a base station (BS) and a mobile station (MS).
2. Description of the Related Art
Today's development of communication technology has been increasing user demands for higher-speed transmission/reception of larger volumes of data. In this context, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 standardization group is performing studies to provide BWA services to MSs.
The IEEE 802.16 standard specifies high-speed data transmission/reception schemes for MSs.
An MS transmits and receives data by connecting at least one service to a BS. A plurality of service connections are identified by their specific CIDs.
During setup of a new service connection between the MS and the BS, the BS allocates a CID that identifies the service connection to the MS. Service CIDs must have unique values so that they can be accurately distinguished within one cell under the BS. Hence, the use of a CID is confined to one cell, and the CID can be used in setting up another service connection in another cell.
In the case where the MS moves from an old cell to a new cell, or when the MS updates all existing service connections with a serving BS and re-registers with the serving BS in the BWA communication system, the new BS or the serving BS allocates a new CID for each service connection to the MS. During a handover to the new BS or reconnection to the serving BS, the MS receives the new CID from the new BS or the serving BS by a medium access control (MAC)-layer management message.
In the conventional process a new CID is allocated to the MS; that is, a CID is updated for the MS in the following way. The BS transmits to the MS CID update information including existing CIDs and new CIDs in ordered pairs. The transmission of the existing CIDs is unnecessary and causes a waste of radio resources. If the MS uses a large number of CIDs, the volume of CID update information is large. Moreover, if a large amount of CID update information is issued for a plurality of MSs, the overall BWA communication system suffers from a significant decrease in the efficiency of radio resources at connection updates.